Greek Yogurt Cookies

Soft, fluffy, and oh-so-moist these Greek Yogurt Cookies are super easy to make and sure to satisfy your sweet tooth! Made with creamy Greek yogurt perfectly blended into the cookie dough and topped with my famous cream cheese frosting, these cookies redefine the meaning of simple and delicious!

Jump to:

• 🌟 Why this is the best Greek Yogurt Cookies recipe
• 📝  Ingredient notes
• 👩‍🍳 How to make this recipe
• 🍫 Flavor Variations & Substitutions
• 🎓 Expert tips
• 🥣 Equipment notes
• ❓Recipe FAQs
• 🍪 More Cookie Recipes
• Greek Yogurt Cookies

🌟 Why this is the best Greek Yogurt Cookies recipe

1. Soft and airy - The creamy Greek yogurt adds both richness and moisture to the cookies that makes them super soft and tender. They have a light and airy texture that is absolutely irresistible. 
2. Simply delicious - These yummy cookies are perfectly balanced with just the right amount of sweetness, a touch of tangy yogurt, and a hint of fragrant vanilla! And the fluffy cream cheese frosting is the perfect finish!
3. Beginner Friendly - Whether you're a seasoned baker or novice, this recipe is perfect for everyone. You can make this easy Greek yogurt cookies recipe with a handful of basic ingredients and it doesn’t require any special baking skills.
4. Customizable cookie - You can easily personalize the cookies by stirring your favorite mix-ins such as chocolate chips, nuts, or dried fruit into the batter or topping them with different flavors of frosting.

📝  Ingredient notes

For the Greek yogurt cookies

1. Unsalted Butter: Always use unsalted butter in baking! You can even use homemade butter! Use room-temperature butter for this recipe.
2. Granulated Sugar: Used to sweeten the cookies as well as add to their tender texture. Check out my sugar guide to learn more about granulated sugar vs. cane sugar.
3. Vanilla Extract: For the best flavor use pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. If needed, you can find a substitute for vanilla extract here. 
4. Egg: It helps to bind the dough and give it stability. The egg should be at room temperature. Learn more about what eggs do in baking here.
5. Greek Yogurt: Our secret ingredient that gives the cookies their soft airy texture! It's thicker than regular yogurt and has more protein. Use full fat Greek yogurt at room temperature. 
6. All Purpose Flour: Simple flour is all you need to make almost any kind of cookies! Take a peek at my flour guide to learn more about its role in baking.
7. Baking Powder: Not to be confused with baking soda, baking powder is used as a leavening agent to make the cookies puff up. Yet, in a pinch, you can find a baking powder substitute to do the job.
8. Salt: It’s an important ingredient that works to balance the sweetness.

🛒 You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post

For the Cream cheese frosting

1. Cream Cheese: Choose full-fat cream cheese (such as Philadelphia) with a minimum fat content of 33% for the best creamy texture.  
2. Mascarpone: Adds another layer of flavor and richness to the frosting. Be sure to use the full-fat variety with at least 41% fat content. If needed, you can use a mascarpone cheese substitute to achieve the same results.
3. Powdered Sugar: Adds the perfect touch of sweetness! Make sure to sift your powdered sugar for a velvety smooth texture. Yet, if you find yourself all out, use a substitute for powdered sugar.

🛒 You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post

👩‍🍳 How to make this recipe

1. Step-by-step process of making Greek Yogurt Cookies

1. In a large mixing bowl, whip the room-temperature butter and sugar together with an electric hand mixer until it’s light and fluffy. Next, add the egg and vanilla extract to the bowl, and continue to whip until well combined. Then fold in the room temperature Greek yogurt.
2. Sift the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt into the bowl with the butter mixture. Then use a rubber spatula to gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, being careful not to overmix. 
3. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
4. Use a cookie scoop or spoon to form the dough into 10 to 11 cookies, placing them about 2” apart on the prepared baking sheets. 
5. Put the baking sheets in the fridge to let the cookies chill for a minimum of 1 hour.
6. Preheat the oven to 175°C / 350°F (no fan). Then bake the cookies for approximately 14 minutes or until the bottoms are fully baked but the tops are still pale.
7. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

💡 Top Tip: The butter must be at room temperature. But if you forgot to set your butter out, no worries! You can use one of these easy methods to soften butter quickly!

2. Make the cream cheese frosting

To learn more about this frosting check my detailed cream cheese frosting tutorial.

1. Whip the cream cheese, mascarpone, and sifted powdered sugar with an electric hand mixer for 2 to 3 minutes just until the frosting is smooth and fluffy. 
2. Transfer the cream cheese frosting into a piping bag fitted with a nozzle tip.
3. Pipe the frosting onto the cookies. Then decorate with sprinkles or other desired toppings if you like for an extra touch of charm.
4. Enjoy the Greek yogurt cookies immediately or store them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

💡 Top Tip: Be very careful not to overbeat the frosting. It’s important to stop whipping once it reaches a fluffy and pipeable consistency or it can become runny.

🍫 Flavor Variations & Substitutions

You can easily take your Greek yogurt cookies to the next level! Use almond extract in place of the vanilla or mix in a little lemon zest for a hint of citrus flavor. To add depth use brown sugar along with a touch of cinnamon! 

Chocolate lovers could even use chocolate Greek yogurt! Or, mix in some chocolate chips for a unique twist on yogurt chocolate chip cookies. Or, go all out and drizzle them with some of this indulgent chocolate ganache! For a peanut butter chocolate combo blend some peanut butter into the frosting!

To make the cookies nutty, mix in some chopped almonds, pecans, or pistachios for a lovely bit of crunch! Better yet, omit the cream cheese frosting and top the cookies with my Nutella Frosting.

For a healthier option, you can try using whole wheat flour. If you have any dietary restrictions and or want to make the cookies vegan, you can find a butter substitute and egg substitute as well as a number of other alternatives in my many baking substitute guides. You can also learn even more about baking by checking out my baking guides.

🎓 Expert tips

1. For proper emulsification, your butter, egg, and Greek yogurt must be at room temperature before you incorporate them into the dough. 
2. It’s important to use high-fat Greek yogurt, cream cheese, and mascarpone for the best taste and texture.
3. If the dough seems too runny to scoop the cookies, just pop it in the fridge for a few minutes to firm up and then scoop the cookies.
4. You must chill the raw cookies for at least 1 hour to prevent them from spreading too much while baking. But if you make this mistake, here are some fun and tasty ways to use flat cookies! 
5. Watch the cookies carefully in the oven. Similar to yogurt sugar cookies, they should be fully baked on the bottom but still be pale on top. Yet if you do accidentally overbake them, here’s how to soften hard cookies.
6. Allow the Greek yogurt cookies to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before carefully transferring them to a cooling rack. This gives the fragile cookies time to set.
7. When making the frosting, whip it just until it reaches a fluffy and pipeable consistency. Overbeating can cause it to become runny.
8. You must let the cookies completely cool before decorating them or the frosting will melt.

🥣 Equipment notes

Having the right tools on hand is essential for achieving the best Greek yogurt cookies! A digital scale is a must-have for the most accurate ingredient measurements. And digital oven thermometer allows you to easily monitor and adjust the temperature of your oven.

To make the dough, an electric hand mixer is the best tool to efficiently whip the butter and sugar together. Then to combine the wet and dry ingredients without overmixing, a rubber spatula is your best friend!

Once your dough is made, you will need a couple of sheet pans for baking and a cooling rack to prevent the cookies from getting soggy!

❓Recipe FAQs

🍪 More Cookie Recipes